#does star wars count as fantasy? like scifi fantasy? is that a thing | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

brilliantfantasticgeronimo · 5 months

Text

dw rewatch - takes on "the end of the world"

companion watch:

"the artic desert" hits different lol

something something bella vs the witch

rose's fear attack when she finds heres lf in the alien situation. she's genuinely terrified! it's a good beat, man. more than that, it's a rare beat. I get a lot of people don't vibe with it and prefer the more "buffy-esque approach, since it's "more to the point" and gets you larger than life figures… but personally I much prefer it when scifi/fantasy scenarios are portrayed as the terrifying reality they would be. also this: "ROSE: I just hitched a ride with a man. I don't even know who he is. He's a complete stranger"

war of the world vibes with the little robot fellas. /unintentional parallel to how cassandra dies and how the aliens in that book die?

"it gets inside and changes my mind, and you didnt even ask" "i didnt think about it like that" it's interesting that rose question this tbh

"five billion years in the future, my mum's dead" "bundle of laughs you are" /god i love this exchange. nine's constant attempt to downplay ANY surfacing of Real Emotions. rose's naivety in contemplating for the first time in her life that oh yeah, people die. the first statement of the "everything dies, everything ends" theme that will be woven throughout all the rtd era.

ngl i wish rose Did More in the plot of this episode, in terms of actually solving the crisis, feels like a stepdown after Rose giving her the most climatic moment... that said she does get a lot of great quibs in this one: "you two go pollinate and i'll go meet the family"/ "and i want you home by midnight!"/ "its better to die than to live like you, a bitchy trampoline" / "youre just lipstick and skin"

she's really similar to nine/ten in that aspect. they both have that "humor as defense mechanism" thing

blorbos:

the way nine and rose Lean in those stairs…. im Looking respectfully and im Thinking pure thoughts. (honestly ppl talk a lot about ten and rose's body language in s2 but there was A Lot going on with nine and rose as early as episode 1)

"all that counts is here and now" can't tell if zen mindfulness or a desperate defense mechanism to cope with ptsd.

first thing rose does is call her mum ): - Cassandra "I'm too young" vs Ten's "I was going to do so much more"...(ben wyatt voice) it's about the hypocrisy (oh having written this note before rewatching new earth... put a pin on that!)

timeless child retroactive continuity bonus: perhaps cassandra as "the last human" (not really a "human") paralleling "the last timelord" (not really a "timelord)? - "JABE: And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left". well post-s13 they're gonna enjoy themselves a lot more lol - there's something very anti-entropy about how the child gets to regenerate indefinitely without "losing" its essence and its dna integrity (vs cassandra's "flatness", the child gains more and more complexity as time passes).

colonialism/hegemony: - NINE: "mind you, when I say "the great and the good" what I mean is the rich." / "Five billion years and it still comes down to money" / this maybe be harsh,,, honestly i hate to say but doctor who sometimes really is just typical neolib """anti-capitalist""" fiction. - in the sense that it pretends to be anti-capitalist, but really is just capitalist realist. it's writers can imagine 203223 scenarios of the earth dying but they cannot conceive of a post-capitalist world, a classless society or simply a world without taxes. Of course you could say "this is so these stories are relatable" but even in their relatedness, there's rarely a portrayal of the anti-capitalist struggle (rather than just generic star wars-style, ideology-less "rebellions).- (that said, obligatory "I'm not a politics robot" disclaimer... "Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune." is an iconic retort lol) - there's also a kind of subtle Myth Of The Linear Progress Of History thing going on with cassandra being framed as someone who "stayed behind" and has not embraced this analogue to our "Color Blind Post Racial Society" which has "Obviously" outgrown prejudice and notions of racial purity. - "good thing i didn't take you to the deep south" / "you were to busy making cheap shots about the deep south" // parallels to-> "who do you think makes your clothes?" "Is that why you travel 'round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots?" "sorry" . actually no rtd i dont think these are chepashots at all lol they are VERY relevant shots!! it's very transparent how the writers are kind of meek about making these *truly* transgressive points, but it's much easier to have the doctor argue that rose having a donor card is "a different morality"... again one is truly transgressive, the other is fun-but-no-challenging-of-the-hegemony scifi "dilemma". - the "quick word with Michael Jackson" line is doing A Lot but idek how to even begin to entangle it lol it's very 00s, for sure. - for once, a self aware one: "People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them." / "It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries"

themes: - everything has its time and everything ends check your bingo cards. racial purity vs mixing vs 'progress'. class. life cycles. gut instinct (rose jumping the gun to empatise w/ the doc + nine going through the fans + rose reaction to the alien parade). destruction as tourism, as "artistic event" (an uncomfortable parallel to how this is what our heroes will be doing for the next 10+ seasons). - this episode does a bit of a u-turn on the previous (And the next) on its constant questioning of the intrinsic "meaning" of a physical body. in this, cassandra's continuous operations are framed as a kind of "lost of an essence". also the "surface" of her thinking as metaphor for her missing the "essence" of what it means to be human (biologically but more fundamentally, ethically).

Live Fast Die Young / YOLO / everyone deserves to be mourned. everyone deserves a dignified death. thread carefully and cherish life, because it will all be gone. our time is limited and short and it is because it is short that it means something. Life only means anything because there's Death.

ecology and environmentalism. "there are many species in that planet. mankind is only one / I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest." obsessed with it. wish they brought back the rainforest.

#60threwatch #god why is this so long #why cant i ever be SUCCINCT dammit #dw #doctor who #love how tumblr decides to format some of these bullet points and some not

5 notes · View notes

anti-ao3 · 2 years

Text

i wish i were making this up but this is really an ao3 bootlicker’s response to someone suggesting incest had a warning tag:

[ID: Some of the reasons there is no incest warning:

1) We kinda figured that if the fic is tagged Sam Winchester/Dean Winchester, you could do the math yourself.

2) There is zero agreement on what counts as "incest."

2A - In my state, first cousins can marry; they're not legally incestuous. In the state next door, they're too closely related to marry. (But their marriages don't vanish if they visit the state.)

2B - Are stepsibling relationships incest? Are they incest if they were stepsiblings for a few years but then their parents divorced?

2C - Family relations in non-US cultures have entirely different ideas of what "too closely related for romantic relationships" mean

2D - And that's before we get into scifi/fantasy settings, where the archive would no doubt use the same guideline it does for "underage" - meaning, "this is only relevant to normal humans."

2E - Selfcest wtf?

3) An "incest" warning is never going to cover all the things antis believe it should, because it wouldn't be required for "sworn brothers" and the like.

4) Nobody on the inside wants the hassle of retroactively requiring a warning tag on fics that shipped a pairing that later turned out to be related. Luke/Leia was a big ship for the first few years of Star Wars...” /End ID]

basically: incest is cool, actually /s

#lotus.txt #incest tw #see this is why you should not trust pro-shitters #i would've reblogged from the source but i think the op blocked me #anti ao3

7 notes · View notes

purplesurveys · 3 years

Text

1070

[found at: --rainboweyes--]

When was the last time you did clay work/pottery? The one time I did pottery was I thinkkkkk during our trip to Vigan? Somewhere up north, anyway. That was around 3 or 4 years ago.

Do you like art, hate it or just not mind it? I love looking at art and can be in museums all day long; but I hate analyzing it and having to read into metaphors or symbolisms. I just appreciate the brush strokes, the colors used...basically the skills and hard work that went into the artwork.

If you had to choose would you prefer dull pain for 12 hours or sharp for 2? Sharp for two, plz. I have had dull headaches all week that have lasted into the night and I absolutely hate it.

Koala or Kangaroo? I like either.

Do you know the words to the national anthem of your country? Of course.

Is your country ruled by a president, prime minister, queen or other? President. Our current one’s an incompetent one, but yeah a president I guess.

Does blue occur in your national flag? Yes. We place the blue section on top when the country’s at peace, and we flip it to the bottom side if we’re otherwise at war - fortunately I’ve never seen the red be put on top throughout my lifetime so far.

Talking of flags. Do you like football/soccer? I’ve personally never seen the appeal of either, but that’s just me.

If yes, do you play and what position? If not, leave blank.

Would you rather be a Model, Famous Scientist, Singer or Chef? I’d like to be a scientist, just not a famous one. Like can I just be lowkey smart? Lmao

Would you rather be a pilot, crime scene investigator or estate agent? Pilot. That would have been so rad. I have a friend who flies nearly every week and his photos always look awesome. Maybe I’ll take lessons one day.

Does making others happy really make you feel happy? It’s my main way of keeping happy.

What color literally doesn't appear in your wardrobe at all? Purple. Never looked good on me. I wanna add orange since I dislike the color as well, but I remember the orange top I have that I never got around to throwing out. I’m pretty sure I also don’t own any brown.

Do you actually read the answers others give to your surveys [I do]? Yes. Sometimes I’ll be gone for several days and there’ll be so many new survey entries that I can’t always read everyone’s answers, but for the most part I do try to take a look at the ones I see.

Did you ever swear at a teacher in school? Why? I’ve sworn at them behind their backs, but that’s it.

Have you ever pricked your finger on Holly or another 'sharp' plant? I’ve definitely been a victim of thorns before.

Speaking of Holly, do you adore Christmas or does it bug you? It makes me lonely for the most part. But I was happy this year because my dad was home, and both sides of my family managed to make get-togethers work while still following protocol.

Have you ever wrote your own short story? I tried writing fanfiction when I first discovered them, but that was when I learned I was unbelievably terrible with fictional work. My career as a budding author did not last any longer than two weeks, lmao.

What about a novel? Or perhaps you started and couldn't finish? Nope. I believe I tried this as well, but I just didn’t have both the creativity and commitment for it.

Either of the above, if this was the case, place short synopsis here: Couples I shipped and that is cringey enough so that is all you need to know.

Do you prefer SciFi/Fantasy/Action/Horror or Rom/Com/RealLife? When it comes to fanfiction still? Or just in general? I like stories that are most likely to happen in real life, so I enjoy dramas the most. Romcoms are also cute and they’re what I turn to whenever I need to de-stress. I do like horror as well but my interest has waned a bit through the years; sci-fi is a hit or miss for me; I don’t hold any interest for either fantasy or action.

What do you have a lot of faith in [note: can be anything]? It’s hard to hold a lot of that these days.

Think of a material thing you want. Name it here (material, made or bought] Right now I want a projector. I keep YouTube videos playing on my phone throughout my shift to serve as background noise, but I wish I had a bigger screen :( I have a blank wall in my room so a projector would be perfect rn.

Would $100/$60 be enough for this item? I can definitely find a projector in that price range on Shopee, lol.

How about $1000/$600? That’s more than enough and can get me a high-end projector at this point.

Would you rather have a big house, a lot of kids or a high flying job? The last one is a priority for me now.

Have you ever been to a creepy/haunted/abandoned place? I’ve been to many places rumored to be haunted, like particular spots in my high school.

What did it look like and what were the circumstances? Idk the so-called haunted areas in my school were all everyday spots, like certain washrooms and the penthouse in the high school building. An outsider probably wouldn’t suspect they were haunted unless someone else told them.

It’s nearing 10:30 PM and it’s pitch-black in my room, so I’d rather not explain the stories behind the ~haunted spots LOL

What's your favorite dip? Depends on what food I’m dipping? There are so many kinds of dips, dude.

Chocolate Cookies or Fudge Brownies? Just chocolate cookies? As in double chocolate, not chocolate chip? I never liked that flavor. I’m going with fudge brownies.

I give you a little baby puppy. What do you name him? It will depend on their personality. Cooper was a smartass from the get-go so we named him after Sheldon Cooper.

Is crime a big problem in your area? Not in my city, fortunately. But my country generally doesn’t have a good rep when it comes to crime. I always hear of unjust killings every week, if not every day.

What's your town/city most well known for? Being on a mountain, a famous biking spot, a famous climbing spot, the view of the metro it gives at night.

Do you know a Jack? What's he like? I don’t think so. No one is coming to mind.

How about a Lisa? What's she like? Our neighbor from my childhood home is a Lisa. I have not seen her since I was like 10, so I have no clue how she’s doing these days.

Are most your friends older, younger or the same age as you? Same age, since most of my friends are the people I went to high school/college with.

Do you subconsciously hang out with those with the same star sign as you or as each other, perhaps due to certain personality traits? Think about it: Astrology makes me cringe.

Name 5 objects that you don't have but would like right now? A 2021 planner, scented candles, Ivy Park merch, a massage pillow, skincare products.

When you have children, would you like twins? Probably not.

Do you know any twins? If so, what are they called? Yeah I was classmates with a pair in an English elective I had in college. We ended up being friends that semester, but we don’t interact much anymore. I’m not giving away their names, but I’m sad that I was never able to tell them apart :/

If you were given the choice to choose your child’s gender, would you? Absolutely yeah, if it were possible. I’d preferably have all girls.

What instrument would you love to learn how to play? The piano.

Does the sound of knocking/tapping startle you? If it comes out as a loud thud, yeah. It’s more likely to irritate me, though.

What's the scariest story/urban legend/creepypasta etc you heard? Skipping this as it’s nearing 10:45 PM and I don’t need any images to come to mind right now lol

Do you miss someone currently? Always.

When was the last time you were in hospital? What for [if comfy saying]? Needed to get a urine and blood test to check my platelet count, because my parents and I thought I had dengue.

When was the last time you went to the dentist? December 2019 when I needed a pesky toothache dealt with ASAP, and when my dentist discovered a decayed tooth that needed to be removed.

Do you get along well with your family doctor/your doctor? We don’t have a family doctor. I only go to the doctor when I’m sick, and we go to different ones every time haha.

What personality trait does nearly everyone in your family seem to have? Everyone hides their emotions, to a point that it’s unhealthy. No one just wants to address the elephant in the room, which is precisely a part of the problem. I’m 100% certain we are all suffering and fighting our own battles quietly.

The survey’s ended. I hope you enjoyed it. :) This was a pleasant one to take :)

#survey #surveys

2 notes · View notes

underahauntedsky · 4 years

Text

Was tagged by @captainseaweedbrains

I’m guessing this will be the same like 4 movies for every category. Oops.

favorite movie: Tangled

movie that makes you remember your childhood: The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Spirit, omg and ANASTASIA

favorite tom hanks movie: Catch Me If You Can

movie that makes you cry: Titanic

favorite 80’s movie: Ferris Bueller

favorite comedy: Hot Fuzz

favorite sports movie: The Sandlot

favorite courtroom movie: Legally Blonde

favorite war movie: Captain America

favorite animated movie: Tangled, the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, and Spiderman Into the Spiderverse

favorite horror movie: I’m a chicken Does Shutter Island count? I kind of remember liking that. I’ve seen The Exorcist, but that film fucked me up for years and it’s NOT my favorite for how much it scared me.

most overrated movie: Lala Land.... going with what @captainseaweedbrains put here. Lala Land was SO overrated. I haven’t seen Joker, but I hate white mens’ idolization with it and it made me not want to see it. Sorry not sorry.

favorite gangster movie: Not sure I’ve seen one, not that I currently can remember anyways.

movie you can watch over and over: Tangled....once I watched it twice in a day.... and I was in my mid 20s. Whoops.

movie with the best soundtrack: Screams HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON.

most embarrassing movie you love: Hmmm, can’t think of anything for this, maybe sometimes embarrassed by my love for what’s generally seen as movies for kids (animation), but honestly if you can’t accept that about me, we probably wouldn’t get along.

favorite christmas movie: The Polar Express (Another great Tom Hanks film)

favorite halloween movie: Halloweentown

favorite sequel: How to Train Your Dragon 2 & 3....oooo or perhaps Captain America Winter Soldier (Does that count being a part of the larger MCU?) Also loved Lion King 2 as a kid.

favorite shakespeare movie: 10 Things I Hate About You

favorite austen film: The only one I think I’ve seen is Clueless, and not the biggest fan of it.

favorite scifi film: Intersteller or perhaps Star Wars (not the prequels though. Sorry, I just hate Jarjar THAT much)

favorite swashbuckling film: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Black Pearl

favorite romance: Anastasia (1997), (Dimitri and Anya were probably my first ship and that film really left an impression on my life) also, Titanic

favorite fantasy film: Like 90% of the MCU if that counts, also most Disney animated films

favorite musical: Does Rocketman count? Also Rent, and I like Singin’ in the Rain.

favorite noir: Not Sure I’ve seen one... Googled some Neo Noir films and google said Christopher Nolan’s Batmans....so those? It also said Shutter Island, so perhaps that?

favorite thriller: Inception

favorite mystery: Knives Out

favorite drama: Loved Little Women (2019) and I know Jojo Rabbit was technically a comedy but I’m listing it here. That movie made me feel an array of emotions.

favorite western: Back to the Future III, haven’t seen any westerns and honestly not really interested in this genre. ALSO Back to the Future III is my least favorite of the trilogy by far so this is a stretch even saying it’s my favorite western)

favorite romcom: Crazy Stupid Love

favorite action movie: Shall I list the entire MCU? Also Wonder Woman, Deadpool, and Shazam

I tag: @jesusbuchananbarnes @nicolemwright and anyone else who feels like doing this!

2 notes · View notes

karaazorel · 4 years

Text

my girl @loisfreakinglane tagged me in a movie meme which is wild cause i’m terrible at movies but lets fucking GO

have i even seen a movie??? this makes me question

favorite movie: i think mad max fury road?

movie that makes you remember your childhood:

favorite tom hanks movie: ..... i really really like you but carly rae jepsen the music video

movie that makes you cry: i’m a cry baby!! all films make me cry

favorite 80’s movie: maybe heathers? i haven’t seen many tho

favorite comedy: Booksmart!

favorite sports movie: OH SHIT CREED MY DUDE

favorite courtroom movie: i’ve never seen a courtroom movie!! legally blonde is it my dude

favorite war movie: ... wonder woman???

favorite animated movie: into the spiderverse!!

favorite horror movie: probs ready or not cause it’s my current fixation

favorite gangster movie: ..... i’ve never gone here

movie you can watch over and over: i do not rewatch movies.... maybe star trek?

movie with the best soundtrack: i mean trashy movies have bops of soundtracks- vampire academy comes to mind

most embarrassing movie you love: i mean i’m just a sucker for “bad” movies? fantastic four was a bop

favorite christmas movie: i’m not a christmas bitch.

favorite halloween movie: halloween town comes to mind!

favorite sequel: star trek beyond baby!!!!!!!

favorite shakespeare movie: MY MIND IS EMPTY.... kitchen macbeth is the only thing coming to mind

favorite austen film: i don’t think i’ve ever seen one???

favorite scifi film: it’s got to be the star trek movie!!!

favorite swashbuckling film: .... does stardust count?

favorite romance: no thoughts brain empty....... crazy rich asians?

favorite fantasy film: so vague .... how to train your dragon

favorite musical: grease!!

favorite noir: I’VE NEVER

favorite thriller: i’m a fucking baby!!! i ain’t seen thrillers!!

favorite mystery: NOTHING

favorite drama: .....

favorite western: .......

favorite romcom: all????? i love a rom com bb 10 things i hate about you?

favorite action movie: that mad max baby!!!

i’d love to hear from @intergalactic-she-devil @dinahdlance

#personal: text

2 notes · View notes

scrapsofsky · 4 years

Text

I have once more (and a very long time ago) been challenged by Ian Sales to join him in our un-named war to come up with the best arbitrary list of films within an equally arbitrarily selected category. You can find previous iterations of this absurdity here, here, here, here, and here. We have, alas, not done this in a long while, which we can both blame on being busy with many other things.

But in the interest of rekindling silliness, I have been loosely challenged by Ian to come up with a list of 10 underrated SF/F films from the last 20 years, which is a direct response to this ScreenRant list. Since this list is in response to a link with a remarkably open prompt, I’ve opted to stick to the 10 item list format. Future challenges will go back to our favorite number: 5.

Ian, of course, has already dropped his list. Go check it out!

With that in mind, the following list of 10 films represent my attempt to put together films that I consider to be overrated. My criteria is fairly simple:

It must be a SF/F film released since 1999.

It must be underrated in the sense that it is underappreciated by the SF/F community or has largely been forgotten. Box office numbers may be part of the equation, but mostly I will go on my own interactions with the SF/F community and sadly arbitrary interpretations of what has been “lost” to everyday discourse.

I literally don’t care if the movies I pick are considered “good” by other people, and so I’ve picked films that I think are interesting for some reason or another. This inevitably means that you will hate my list and wish me to fall into a pit of endless fire.

So, without further adieu, here’s my list:

The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)(dir. Makoto Shinkai)

One of my first academic essay publications focused on this film, which should tell you how much I enjoy it. Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho is, in my opinion, Makoto Shinkai’s magnum opus. A story of friendship, betrayal, and love. A story of the Cold War, imperial control, and out of control technology. Shinkai’s method of storytelling is remarkable: low key and vibrant, emotionally tense and freeing. In a world where Hayao Miyazaki is considered the King of Japanese Animation, Shinkai’s work has sadly not received the appreciation it deserves — Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho especially.

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)(dir. David Twohy)

I strongly considered putting 2000’s Pitch Black here instead, but I think that film, while perhaps a bit underrated today, has received considerable praise. Its sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, however, has often been derided for one reason or another. Unfairly, in my opinion. From its Gothic (with a side of emo) aesthetic to its expansion of the Riddick universe into a sprawling space opera to its total commitment to the gritty, morally ambiguous treasure trove of dirty, grungy themes, places, and characters, The Chronicles of Riddick is easily one of my favorite science fiction films of the last 20-ish years. Plus, the cast is fantastic. This is a hill I’m willing to die on. (Also: I look forward to checking out Furya and Merc City in the near future!)

Night Watch and Day Watch (2004 and 2006)(dir. Timur Bekmambetov)

I’m counting these as one because it’s my list and I can do what I want. This Russian duology is based on Sergey Lukyanenko urban fantasy novels about the conflict between two supernatural factions who monitor the actions of one another as part of an uneasy truce. Part detective thriller and part dark fantasy, the films pack quite a punch. However, outside of the circuit of foreign film lovers within SF/F, they’ve largely flown under the radar, this despite starring well known Russian actor Konstantin Khabensky. If you’ve never seen these films, you owe it to yourself to watch them, even if for no other reason than to watch someone drive a sports car across the face of an apartment complex!

Sunshine (2007)(dir. Danny Boyle)

I considered putting Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later here instead, but I don’t think that film is actually all that underrated even if it doesn’t get as much play today as it did a decade ago. Sunshine, however, has spent most of its existence floating between general praise for its visuals and premise and general dislike for its second act. And, yes, it is a spectacularly gorgeous film, but that second act is, in my opinion, far more interesting than most people are willing to admit. Turning a space thriller into a horror film as a commentary on the paradoxical frailty and strength of the human spirit is, in my opinion, a gutsy move. For me, that move pays off, and it’s one of the reasons I think this film has remained underrated. It doesn’t follow the pattern these stories usually follow. It’s basically Armageddon if that film took itself seriously and Rockhound actually went insane. And that makes it an infinitely more interesting film.

Upgrade (2018)(dir. Leigh Whannell)

If you didn’t get a chance to see Upgrade, you’re missing out. This sleeper scifi action thriller had some of the most compelling fight choreography and shot compositions of 2018, and yet it flew under the radar. I had the good fortune to see the film in theaters; the experience did not disappoint. Much of the fight choreography relied on some impressive camera trickery to follow the lead actor’s movements, giving the entire film a robotic and wonky feel. It’s truly exciting to watch, and I wish more people had had the opportunity to do so in an actual theater. Because it’s gorgeous on the big screen!

Push (2009)(dir. Paul McGuigan)

I will watch almost anything with Djimon Hounsou in it. Push is one of those forgotten little films that takes a less in-your-face approach to the whole super powers concept. In this world, people with powers are test subjects or hidden in plain sight, monitored by a nefarious organization with equally nefarious intents. By comparison to the typical superhero film we have today, Push is quite restrained, relishing in the quirks and trickery of its list of powers and giving actors like Dakota Fanning the space to place (watching her drunkenly stumble around is kinda fun). It’s an imperfect film to be sure, but one that I still love.

Hulk (2003)(dir. Ang Lee)

I’m going to catch hell for this, but Ang Lee’s Hulk is one of my favorite superhero movies to date. I even prefer it to that other Hulk film by a long mile. Lee does give us some of the stuff you expect from a superhero film (big fight scenes and visual spectacle), but I particularly love the softer focus on Banner and his mental state. It feels more like a film that is trying to say something about human nature than a film stuck in an endless action sequence or caught up in villainy for the sake of villainy. For me, that means the film takes more chances with its performance and themes. And I’m always more compelled by the film that tries to do something interesting and failed than I am by the alternative.

Another Earth (2011)(dir. Mike Cahill)

Independent cinema has a tendency to produce some truly introspective and powerful films. Another Earth is no exception. A film about loss, guilty, love, and second chances, Another Earth‘s science fiction premise (a mirror Earth) is really just background, offering an opportunity in the conclusion and lending weight to the central thematic of loss and guilt as the romance between the protagonists comes head-to-head with a secret that threatens to tear them apart. The narrative is at times quite haunting, but it also commands us to think more deeply about what it means to seek forgiveness, to seek second chances, to live with loss, and so on. And if you like this one, Sound of My Voice (2011) is a far creepier film about cults that also stars Brit Marling!

Dredd (2012)(dir. Pete Travis)

We will never get an adaptation of Judge Dredd that is as good as 2012’s Dredd. A vicious, unrelenting and dark film, Dredd is one of those films that desperately deserves more credit than it has thus far received. Karl Urban’s performance is textbook perfection, and Travis’ direction gives this a brutally honest tone. And unlike its predecessor adaptation, Dredd isn’t endlessly mockable; instead, it is a visually arresting satire that makes most action thrillers look tame. There are few films on this list that I would say are perfect. Dredd is one of them.

The Cat Returns (2002)(dir. Hiroyuki Morita)

Studio Ghibli gets a lot of well-deserved love for its many Hayao Miyazaki films (my favorite Miyazaki is actually Mononoke Hime / Princess Mononoke). But one film the studio doesn’t get enough credit for is the utterly delightful Neko no Ongaeshi / The Cat Returns (or The Cat’s Repayment). It’s an Alice in Wonderland type tale (or tail, heh) about a young girl who gets sucked into the secret world of cats. Calling this film delightful is an understatement. It is downright adorable, and it has been sadly overshadowed by Ghibli’s many other exceptional productions. But if you’re looking for a cute (and sometimes hilarious) fantasy adventure involving talking cats, The Cat Returns is the film for you.

And that’s it. That’s my list. I could add many other films here, but I’ve limited myself to ten.

Now for a challenge to Ian and anyone else who wants to take it: pick your five favorite films featuring talking animals! Go!

It's time for another #FilmChallenge. @ian_sales challenged me to come up with 10 underrated SF/F films released between 1999 and 2019. So here's my list! :D I have once more (and a very long time ago) been challenged by Ian Sales to join him in our un-named war to come up with the best arbitrary list of films within an equally arbitrarily selected category.

1 note · View note

ginnyzero · 4 years

Text

A Reason Why I’m Indie

Traditional publishing isn’t for everybody. And I’ve seen attitudes that if you don’t conform to word counts and genre conventions and all the rules, then you’re never going to get anywhere in publishing/as a traditionally published author. So, I guess you should suck it up and do it. Then, I’m proudly never going to get anywhere.

Before we go any further, I want to make a disclaimer. Agents do hard jobs. They became agents (most of them) because they love books and reading and want to see authors succeed. They don’t get PAID unless an author succeeds. They are as invested in an author’s book as much as the author is. Or, at least, the good ones are. (Yes, there are a few bad apples that you must be aware of.)

BUT

Agents can’t sell your book if there is no one in their contacts/on their list that will buy it for reasons.

And these reasons may not have anything to do with your writing quality, your world building, your storytelling or your creativity. These reasons have everything to do with the publishing world and the little arbitrary writing rules that they impose on well, everything. I’m squeezing my hands together so hard right now my knuckles are turning white because these rules make me angry.

It takes a lot to make me angry. I get frustrated sometimes fairly easily. But angry?

Well, bullshit makes me angry.

I have spent time going through the querying process. I have helped and watched my best friend, writing bff, collaborator and editor go through her querying process. And I have comforted and I have encouraged and I was there for her last night when she figured out that her book was being rejected not because of writing quality and or bad story or because she had unicorns.

Instead, it was being rejected because someone in the last four years decided that the themes of the types of stories she tells belong and only belong to a certain age group category younger than what she writes. And if she wants to write the type of stories she wants to write, the type of stories that she loves and she needed at the YA age level, she would have to change essentially everything about her story that she adores to get it traditionally published.

Or self-publish.

And as we know, self-publishing closes a lot of doors.

All because, she isn’t writing the “correct” theme for the “correct” age group.

And this pisses me off. (My friend is devastated because the book series she’s lovingly crafted and all her other ideas now won’t supposedly work for traditional publishing all without her knowing because someone instituted new rules. She's been in limbo for months over this.)

Because these things aren’t written down anywhere. And if they are, they’re in weird little articles that aren’t being taught in schools because probably the teachers themselves don’t know them. Or, they were things decided in the last half a decade and no one decided to you know, spread the word in such a way that authors querying would hear it.

Or maybe, just maybe, restricting themes to a genre or an age level is such extreme limiting and inappropriate bullshit it needs to be burned in a fire.

-Takes a deep breathe- See. Angry.

There are certain themes and certain plot structures/character constructions that defined or launched each genre. Romance being the most heavily structured in the traditional publishing world (and a lot of indies following the same rules/structure.)

Science Fiction (as we know it) was born out of the Cold War and the space race and the feeling of alienation and how is having world destroying weapons going to guide us as a species. It was a lot of “humans versus alien invaders” ID4 type of storytelling. Shelley’s Frankenstein started it. And there were different views of it in the beginning, Asimov delved into the perils of robotics and space flight. Herbert talked about ecological scifi. Heinlein tended to go political and then time traveling sexual hijinks. Star Trek was Horatio Hornblower IN SPACE.

Fantasy, especially high and epic fantasy, was born of the retelling of old legends, myths and religions and the triumph of the goodness of mankind in the hero's journey. Star Wars and stories like it (Andre Norton, Anne McCaffery’s Pern) merged the two into science fantasy (my favorite.) Urban fantasy became Sherlock Holmes solves/fights crime with vampires, werewolves and the rest of the fantasy kitchen sink.

Just some examples here.

Much of the science fiction I’ve seen on the shelves still follows the formulas of Asimov and Heinlein and Orson Scott Card. The lone soldier against the terrible aliens must fight to save humanity. (In some instances, these are still the top authors hogging all the shelf space, add Herbert and Bova and Brian Sanderson the successor of Robert Jordan and LE Modesitt. And…….. yeah.)

And it’s boring. It’s tiresome. It’s time for a change. Our culture is changing and the media on our shelves isn’t. Tumblr is full of posts about how Earth is Space Australia and aliens that are simultaneously fascinated and accepting of the oddities of humans because their culture isn’t like that! We adopt strange little vacuum robots as easily as we bond to small furry creatures that OMG OMG it could KILL US. (And some not so furry creatures.) We have different types of friends. We do stupid shit for the fun of it. It’s funny. It’s heartwarming. It’s different.

People don’t want angry patriarchal werewolves anymore. They want more than dwarves that just love mining and speak in bad Scottish accents. (Best one I saw was Australian accents actually.) Readers are tired of gratuitous rape. They’re tired of abusive and bad relationships being portrayed as good. Toxic masculinity is getting old as is misogyny. Princesses no longer want to be rescued by dragons, they want to be protected by dragons from being forced into marriages they don’t want. Why must readers go through a sewer when they open a book to escape?

No. Not a lot of these new ideas have conflict or plot. But that’s not really up to the idea thinkers on Tumblr, that’s up to us the writers to see what the idea makers are looking for and come up with plots to fit those settings (if we like those ideas/settings.)

I doubt you’ll find it on bookshelves.

Fantasy has fallen into the grim dark crap sack worlds looking for the next GRRM. Storytelling that hasn’t advanced past trying to emulate Tolkien. Authors that emulate Lackey and McCaffery in the style of romantic fantasy being passed over for grim dark fantasy with assassins and the hot “urban fantasy.”

And understandably, Urban Fantasy is pretty new. LKH and Jim Butcher and other writers like Kim Harrison, Seanan Mcguire and Patty Briggs have been instrumental in making urban fantasy a ‘big deal.’ And I’ve read a lot of urban fantasy and finally I had to give up. I couldn’t take it anymore. Because it was all the same thing in different trappings. And I’m down for the same thing in different trappings to an extent. I really am. I’d just hope that at some point we can have more than Urban Fantasy mysteries. But no one is selling them on traditional shelves because publishers decided that Urban Fantasy people SOLVE CRIME is what the genre is.

This kills innovation coming to publishing houses. We see it in movies as well as books, new ideas, good ideas, are being passed over for the rehash of something from 20 to 30 years ago. (Think closer to 60 for some scifi, more for fantasy.) Because publishers have "genre rules" and are risk adverse because 'what if it doesn't sell?'

There are writers out there that are willing to turn themselves into pretzels to make their story fit a certain word count, a certain genre theme or follow these arbitrary rules to “get their foot in the door” and then they are told and believe that “once they are established” they can “break/bend the rules.”

It’s a lie. It’s a tasty lie. It’s so good of a lie you want to believe it. You want to delude yourself that “if I pretend I’m a man, get my book under 80,000 words, follow the exact conventions of my genre, that one day I’ll get big enough to break all of the rules and innovate my genre.”

That’s when you’ve sold your soul to the devil. You’ve stripped yourself of all your self-respect in order to chase that dream of the “traditional publishing deal.”

Indie is pushing back at traditional in good ways and in bad ways. Traditional with either adapt or continue its pushing back and rigidly holding onto the genre structures it has to its own downfall. The readers will decide on what they want to see/read. That, as an indie author is no longer my problem and completely out of my control.

My problem remains with the fact that traditional publishing houses, and agents aren’t being open and honest about their expectations for these genres that they’re pushing onto shelves. Get together. Form a consensus. Get that information out to authors by putting it on agent websites/blogs. Don’t expect newbies to just know it.

We’ve had enough dream crushing. Being rejected is difficult enough. There are enough gates to go through and hoops to jump. Don’t make lack of information that “everybody knows” yet another one. It's about doing the right thing. Anyone can write a fiction book. Anyone. There is no degree necessary. So, do the right thing, the moral thing and be clear about expectations for what you represent and the "rules" of the genre on your website where querying authors can find it.

(There is going to be writer blaming going on here. Writers/Authors aren't at fault. They can't know this if they aren't told it. You can't just "know things" out of thin air. If there is an expectation, then state the expectation clearly and where it's easily found. As agents, as publishers, putting the information out there that will get you the material you want to read and can sell to publishing houses to make it to stores is on you, not the writer. /soapbox)

Now, if you’re a lucky sod and not like me and does write in the box and naturally writes inside the box. Then, you know what, I’m happy for you. Honestly, my life as an author would be so much easier if I could write “X the werewolf solves crime and saves the world.”

I can’t. It’s not in me.

My job as a writer is to put out the best story that I believe in as a person. A story that is true to me, my feelings, my life journey and what I want to see on shelves/would want to read. If that story has too many genres mixed up, doesn’t follow genre conventions, is too long, isn’t the right “theme” or focuses on the wrong thing for the wrong age group, then, fine, it’s probably never going to be traditionally published. I can deal with that.

I’ll self-publish. I’ll continue to self-publish. I’ll be indie despite the reputation that comes with being indie. I’ll do the work to get my books out there to the world and appreciate the few readers I have and support my indie friends even if it's just with a "you can do it. Hang in there. I'm rooting for all of you." Because, it's all I can do and can control.

I still reserve the right to be mad. Cause that's my friend.

2 notes · View notes

tarotdeckshuffle · 5 years

Text

Four Suns: Chapter One

Drum roll, please! Here it finally is!

This story is based off of this request.

Funny thing about this request is that I’ve never written a scifi story. I love the genre, or at least a lot of it, like Mass Effect, Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc. But some of the stories I’ve read cross from speculative and original science to corny really fast. I’m always worried my stories will do that.

I’ve really enjoyed writing this and it quickly got to over 8,000 words lol, so I’ve broken it into chapters for everyone! Here is the first of what I believe will be four chapters.

But, here’s my first attempt at writing a scifi and poly story! Enjoy!❤

Taglist: @idiotflowerex, @laststory1013, @sayaoqueen, @jophinabean

If you like what you read, please consider supporting me on Patreon or buying me a Ko-fi!

Tags: Alien AU, Angst, Poly, Fantasy Violence

Word Count: 2,000

Next Chapter==>

Chapter One: Sunrise

A world with four suns would burn under such heat, or so you had always believed.

The planet of Lucis had fallen long ago, eclipsed in eternal shadow. The only way to dispel the darkness were weapons called The Royal Arms, but they had been scattered throughout the galaxy by the ruler of the darkness, Ardyn.

The young prince Noctis and his royal retina had been off planet when Lucis fell. They watched the six sacred stars surrounding their planet disappear into darkness. Now, it was up to them to gather the royal arms and dispel the evil that swallowed their world.

After many long years away, they are after the last piece of their quest: The Sword of the Father. The newest and most powerful of the royal arms. Ardyn had taken pleasure in sending this treasure away, as it had belonged to the king, Noctis’s father. All information said that it was on a tiny planet in a long-forgotten galaxy.

You were raised on Earth, a planet that treated the thought of alien life as pure fiction. You lived a lonely life along the coast, having taken your grandparent’s home when they passed away. You stared out over the waves at night, imagining a life of adventure based on the stories your grandmother had told you.

It was one of these nights, as you watched the sun sink below the waves, that the stories found you.

As the sun sank, its orange glow became scared with black. You gasped, fearing a plane had crashed. But it had come from directly overhead. You hadn’t seen a plane pass from that direction. The object crashed into the water just off the beach. The waves surged up to your ankles as the water was displaced.

Doing the only thing you could rationally think to do, you waded out until the water was past your knees, calling out in hopes of finding survivors.

Noctis pulled himself onto a rock, coughing up seawater. The Regalia had taken damage in their last adventure, causing the ship to malfunction upon entering this planet’s atmosphere. The prince smiled as his friends lifted themselves onto nearby rocks, as well.

“Specs, where are we,” he asked his soaked advisor, smiling at Ignis’s flat hair.

“Navigation said that the planet’s name is ‘Earth’,” Ignis responded, attempting to clean off his glasses.

“Rock? Who names their planet rock?” The Prince’s best friend, a living ray of sunshine named Prompto, responded. Somehow, his hair still stood.

“Seems as good a name as any,” a man covered with the wings of a foreign bird, added.

All four of them suddenly turned, hearing your calls.

“Translator! Now!” Noctis demanded.

“On it!” Prompto was clumsily handling a device in his pocket.

Gladio and Ignis nodded to each other, preparing for possible hostilities.

“Guys! Guys, its ok!” Prompto waved his hands about, trying to calm everyone as the translator took effect.

You came around a set of rocks at the far end of the beach, greeted by a sight you could never imagine. Four beautiful men, dressed in black raiment, soaked to the bone. The setting sun glinted on their hair, making the whole scene look like a crown set with various precious stones.

Nearest to you was a black-haired man in the finest of clothes you had ever seen. His intense eyes stared back at you with shock and caution. Water dripped down his porcelain smooth face, falling off a set jaw.

The next man’s face was fair and dotted with feckless, like stars in the daylight. The look was completed by the sunshine blond hair that still pointed towards the sky. His blue eyes reflected the water just below him and threated to drown you in their gaze. His mouth was agape, as though taking in the air for the first time.

Water had flattened the third man’s hair to frame his face better than his glasses could ever hope to. Droplets meandered down his cheeks still, tracing smooth lines to his perfect jaw. Behind spotless glasses, his eyes stared into your soul with graceful meticulousness.

The great muscles of the final man were tense, ready to strike. His body was a marvel of human capabilities: defined muscles where you didn’t even know someone had muscles. But his face was just a handsome as the rest of him. Tense amber eyes spoke volumes that his soft lips only dared. Scars framed his face, whispering tales of battles to the droplets that ran their length. And his long, dark hair was already sea swept from the water.

The four of them were equally attractive in different ways. They gave you no reason to suspect they were anything but four divinely perfect humans who just happened to splash into the sea before you.

The five of you stood for a long moment, simply staring at the alien sight before you.

The black-haired leader spoke first. “We come in peace…” he stammered.

The other three mean groaned and looked like they wanted the sea to take them.

“Are you…ok,” you asked hesitantly. They must have hit their heads pretty hard to say something like that.

“We’re…fine. We’re here on vacation and seemed to have crashed our…plane.” The spectacled man spoke up. The four of them started making their way to the shore.

“…yeah, plane,” the blond added.

The large man made his way over to you first. He stood like a mountain against you, threatening without even trying.

“Do you need some help? I could call someone…” you squeaked, staring at the four gorgeous men surrounding you. “If you crashed a plane you should probably go to the hospital…”

“No, no, we’re fine…” The black-haired man added.

The sea itself reared up, frustrated with the mens’ lies. A great wave crashed on the rocks near you, before retreating out to sea, revealing a sleek black ship, nose deep in the sand. The ship was rectangular with flowing curves. Four doors on it made it vaguely resemble a car, but the windshield was a mirror. Wings replaced wheels and great engines replaced the trunk.

“Is that your…plane,” you asked the object all five of you started at.

The great man before you wore an exasperated look. “Why does nothing ever go our way?”

“It’s about to go less our way! Guys…” the blond yelled, looking over your shoulder.

You turned to see skeletal shadow creatures approaching over the dunes. They looked as though a fever dream had given shadows bones and stretched them out before adding glowing yellow eyes. They looked otherworldly and sick against the sea grass.

Before you had a chance to question what was before you, the great man pushed you behind him.

“Gladio!” The black-haired man called.

“On it,” he responded. Your protector, Gladio, raised his right arm, revealing a translucent orange bracelet with a soft glow to it. He clenched his fist and the orange spread into a great shield before him just as the first of the creatures threw itself at you.

Sparks flew as the nightmare hit the orange glow. Your great protector was pushed back in the sand. Pink light streaked past your eyes, colliding with the creature before you. It dissolved on contact.

You turned, shocked to see the blond man with a strange looking gun in his hand, blowing on the barrel.

“Nice one, Prompto, now do it a thousand more times…” Gladio called.

“On it!” Prompto responded smugly. “Pew, pew, pew pew pew,” he sang in time with his shots.

Monsters started tumbling and crawling onto the beach like waves of black. But the front lines were soon defended by the last two men.

“Ignis, with me!” The black-haired man called to the spectacled man.

From out of nowhere, Ignis had twin daggers in his hands, blue flames dancing on them. With a great leap, he was in the middle of the monsters, dashing between creatures to end their dark lives.

At one point, he placed a dagger just above the other, tip melding with handle. Then he ran a finger down the lower dagger. It seemed to liquify with his touch, transforming into the handle for what became a spear! His acrobatics with the weapon could rival any dancer you had seen! And when he had no more use for the weapon, he pushed on the bottom of the shaft, letting it liquify back into a dagger that fell into his hand.

But the last man was what truly made you think it was all a dream. A sword appeared in his hands from blue sparks. He wielded it with mastery and speed. But when he threw it, it would fly straight and true, perfectly balanced like an arrow. The man’s body would dissolve in a fury of black and blue swirls before reappearing, starting with his hand on the blade. He disappeared into particles in one spot, to materialize in another!

The four men provided order to the monsters’ chaos; destroying each with their own style but working together like a choregraphed dance. You thought this nightmare was going rather well as the monsters’ numbers were diminishing. But what they started to lack in quantity, they made up for in quality.

The most intelligent of the creatures brought up the rear. Yes, an end was in sight, but the remaining handful was conniving. They watched each man, learned their strengths, and attacked in new ways. You saw them dodge attacks before circling towards a new target.

Gladio had kept most of the monsters away from you, thus far. He bashed them with the shield, sometimes driving the bottom of the great weapon down onto a fallen shadow. One or two had gotten past him, but you drove them back with a hurried kick. Your protector had smiled at your ingenuity and courage.

But no amount of courage can save you from deception.

One creature dove between Ignis and the black-haired man, straight at Gladio, before leaping upwards and over him. Prompto fired at it, but it’s body seemed to morph, allowing a hole the beam passed through harmlessly. You watched in a slowed world as its shadowy feet left Gladio’s shoulders, before it landed square on you.

Noctis’s warp couldn’t happen fast enough. You were overwhelmed by darkness as the creature seeped into your very being. Your body fell to the sand, but your consciousness continued to spiral into everlasting darkness.

You couldn’t hear it, but the men around you let out a cry in unison as your body met the sand. Gladio’s shield dropped as he lunged, trying to catch you. Noctis had overshot your form, having not met the daemon he was aiming for. He took off towards you with a runners’ start. Prompto looked on in horror, not realizing that the rest of the world was falling apart around him, as well. Ignis was devastated but had to come to his senses and pull the group together.

“PROMPTO! Cover Gladio! We have to get them to safety,” he yelled, attempting to organize the chaos around them.

Prompto snapped back to reality. “Er, on it!”

Gladio scooped you into his arms as Noctis joined the two of you. He laid a royal hand on your forehead, feeling your temperature plummet. He grimaced; time was not on their side.

“Iggy! Get the medkit,” Gladio yelled over his shoulder. Ignis obliterated one of the remaining daemons before nodding and running on swift legs towards their ship.

“We have to find a safe space…that way,” Noctis pointed towards a nearby house, feeling forced to make a command decision.

Your cold form was cradled against Gladio’s chest as he and Noctis made for the nearest house, swiftly and carefully. Ignis and Prompto watched with worried eyes, staying behind to finish any stray daemons before following.

So much of the light the men had known had been corrupted by Ardyn. They wouldn’t let him take the first star they had seen in forever.

Next Chapter==>

#Four Suns #ffxv #OT4 x reader #final fantasy xv #final fantasy #noctis x reader #prompto x reader #ignis x reader #gladio x reader #scifi #fanfiction #scifi au #aliens #poly

15 notes · View notes

cripplecharacters · 7 years

Note

Do characters in scifi/fantasy setting who use elaborate protheses count as disabled? Like, in Voltron: Legendary Defender a character who lost a limb has an artificial arm that doubles as a weapon, and one blind and mute character has a literal seeing eye cat (and perhaps a degree of telepathy with her team mates). It has little to no impact on their portrayal and actions.

We’ve gotten a couple of these kinds of asks actually, and they never cease to confuse me. I think I understand what you are getting at but the wording is a little odd, so here’s the answers to the question you did ask and the question you meant to ask, as I understand it.

1. What you did ask: “Does this blind/mute/amputee character count as disabled if they have adequate assistance?”

Yes. Absolutely. Your status as a disabled person is not decided by whether or not you have assistance/adaptive devices, it is determined by whether or not you have a condition that might require them. An amputee with a prosthetic is still an amputee.

2. What you meant to ask, as I understand it: “Is this character a bad representation of this disability because essentially all negative effects of their disability have been deus ex machina-ed away?”

Yeah usually. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it is annoying as all get out. It’s better than nothing, I guess, but it gets old seeing aspects of your identity magic-ed away because they’re inconvenient for others. Take Luke Skywalker as an example. It’s great that he’s canonically an amputee, and that’s something I love about Star Wars, but…. Within five minutes of becoming an amputee they gave him a prosthetic that looks and acts exactly like a flesh hand. That’s one thing I liked about The Force Awakens, was that at the end you can clearly see his robo hand is a robo hand.

-Mod Kate

#mod kate #general #anonymous #fantasy setting #prosthetics #disability erasure

8 notes · View notes

scarletjedi · 7 years

Text

My wife, gentlepersons

Brig was already aboard the boat when Gimli and Legolas arrived, attending the rigging for the simple sail and making ready to depart.@brydylcai: All of the writing asks because I worry you don't have enough to do

so.

all the ones I haven’t answered yet. Behind the cut because long

1. Tell us about your WIP!

Heh, which one? I’ve started writing chapter three of We Are Made Wise because I’m finally getting over my block (I think there was a little burnout). I’ve just updated Old Man Luke, and Pineapple 2 is next. I’m almost finished with my next original short, I’ve figured out where to go next in my novel, and...yeah. :)

2. Where is your favorite place to write?

Where it’s quiet and I can focus. Sometimes that’s the living room. Sometimes it’s my office. Sometimes it’s the Starbucks on the corner.

4. Do you have any writing habits/rituals?

Depends on where I am. I have to have some sort of ritual to get focused. In my office, I light candles. In the living room, I put on music. At the coffee shop, I have a snack.

6. Favorite character you’ve written?

My original character, Jamie, from my book is a HOOT. He’s a gay Jewish teen whose convinced that *he* will be the one to capture definitive proof of the Jersey Devil. He’s the non-magical pov in the fic, and his voice is fun.

7. Favorite/most inspirational book?

Well, on the one hand, I re-wrote the Hobbit, so that’ book is clearly an inspiration.

8. Do you have any writing buddies or critique partners?

@brydylcai is my in-house sounding board, the same way I am for her. I don’t have a regular beta, but I’ve worked with several depending on the project/story, and they’re all lovely people.

9. Favorite/least favorite tropes?

I love revelations/coming out stories. I hate deliberate misunderstandings.

10. Pick an author (or writing friend) to co-write a book with

@brydylcai and I have discussed writing a book together already, so Imma go with her :)

11. What are you planning to work on next?

I have the doc with We Are Made Wise open, so either that or my next short, depending on if I write more tonight or wait until tomorrow.

12. Which story of yours do you like best? why?

Comes Around Again is the one that earned me what little notoriety I have, and Old Man Luke is doing the same in Star Wars, but I’m most proud of Drowned in Moonlight. That fic was written to excise some grief over Carrie Fisher, and I think I did her proud.

13. Describe your writing process

I’m tempted to say “Incoherent screaming into the void” but that’s a joke that’s been made before. My process. Hmm.

I tend to write by the seat of my pants. I like to see what develops and grows naturally. Once I get to a certain point, I’ll stop and make a plot sheet/note page, but I usually have the rough shape figured out before I start to write.

Once I have a draft, I’ll edit. Sometimes I’ll print and edit on paper. Sometimes I edit online. My original works tend to get more editing than my fanworks.

14. What does it take for you to be ready to write a book? (i.e. do you research? outline? make a playlist or pinterest board? wing it?)

ha ha ha ha - My original novel has been 15 years in the works, and has gone through many drafts. It’s working now, but I need familiarity. So, I think what I need is research for context and an outline for plot, and a good enough knowledge to feel like I’m winging it.

15. How do you deal with self-doubt when writing?

I put it down. If I’m not confident on one project, I’ll put it down and turn to another. (This usually means putting down my original work in favor of fanfic, because I’m more confident with that overall, but...). I know what sounds right to my ear, and if I’m not hearing it, there’s usually a reason. Distance/time often lets me see it.

17. What things (scenes/topics/character types) are you most comfortable writing?

I’m a Jersey Girl, so I tend to set things in Jersey. I love dramatic conversations, so I’m comfortable there. Queer characters.

18. Tell us about that one book you’ll never let anyone read

That I wrote? Or that I read? Twilight/50 Shades.

19. How do you cope with writer’s block?

I beat it with a hammer unitl it’s writer’s pebbles.

20. Any advice for young writers/advice you wish someone would have given you early on?

Write what you love. Write the truths that you know, and research to write the things you don’t know. Don’t be afraid to break your characters; you can put them back together in new and interesting ways. You’ll be given a lot of advice over the years--read enough to recognize what you like. Develop your taste. Take the advice that helps taylor your work to your taste. Reject the advice that changes it away.

21. What aspect of your writing are you most proud of?

Subtle meanings and implications.

22. Tell us about the books on your “to write” list

Here are 3:

a) The Lesbian Werewolf Romance Novel.

b) The Teenage Zombie Novel.

c) The American-Teenager-Falls-Into-Fantasy-Realm-and-there-are-also-dragons novel

23. Most anticipated upcoming books?

Jer Keene’s next book. I read the first as fic, and then read the novelization, and now I REALLY want to know what comes next.

The Kingkiller Chronicles book 3

25. What’s your worldbuilding process like?

Seat. Of. My. Pants and flailing. Seriously, I write something because it sounds right, and then figure out how it works after.

26. What’s the most research you’ve ever put into a book?

I wrote parts of CAA with the hobbit, the lotr, the unfinished tales, and the moves on and open in front of me.

I became a pagan, and my research for that has influenced my writing of my book.

27. Every writer's least favorite question - where does your inspiration come from? Do you do certain things to make yourself more inspired? Is it easy for you to come up with story ideas?

I mentioned I was pagan? My patron, Brigid, is among other things, a muse. She pokes, and I start thinking (or I think, and she eggs me on. I’m not sure of the order. could be either or both). But, most of my ideas come from things I read. When I want inspiration, I read.

Ideas don’t come as easily as I would like, but the fact that I have several projects at once means that it comes easily enough.

28. How do you stay focused on your own work and how do you deal with comparison?

I have a hard time focusing period, so that’s a challenge. I have put effort into being less jealous because it’s ultimately a useless exercise.

29. Is writing more of a hobby or do you write with the intention of getting published?

I want to be published like JK Rowling or Stephen King - one thing that gives my financial security, or with enough frequency to do the same.

30. Do you like to read books similar to your project while you’re drafting or do you stick to non-fiction/un-similar works?

tbh, i read mostly fanfic these days. Most Genre fic makes me angry because there’s something missing from the text. it’s usually women/gay people.

31. Top five favorite books in your genre?

scifi/fantasy

a) American Gods - Gaiman

b) Foundation/Elijah Bailey mysteries - Assimov

c) The Hobbit

d) Guards!Guards!

e) Years of Rice and Salt

32. On average how much do you write in a day? do you have trouble staying focused/getting the word count in?

Depends. There are days i can’t get a word out. There are days I’ve written about 10k. It depends on if I’m having a good focus day.

33. What’s your revision/rewriting process like?

long.

34. Unpopular writing thoughts/opinions?

....like what?

35. Post the last sentence you wrote

““The things I do for the greater good,” Gimli grumbled, his frown softening as Legolas’s laugh rang out to echo through the cavern. “

36. Post a snippet

from Old Man Luke, chapter 11 (probably):

Obi-Wan stood just to the left of the closed door, hand stroking his beard ad the sight of those assembled. It took all of his focus to keep his eyes from growing wide, or let his hands tremble the way they wished to.

Before him, sitting at a conference table, was Asajj Ventress (scowling at the table like a chastised Padawan, though she had submitted to the indignity of the locking cuffs easily enough), and the adult twinned children of Anakin Skywalker.

Luke sat much as he had before, calmly and with no outward signs of concern, reminding Obi-Wan uncomfortably of his own master. Leia sat back from the table, her arms crossed and her expression sardonic. She, too, was apparently unconcerned, if outwardly exasperated, and Obi-Wan knew that if hadn’t already been told, he would be able to see the resemblance between father and daughter in a heartbeat.

Still, Obi-Wan had the distinct and uncomfortable sensation of not quite living up to her expectations.

The bulk of her resentment, however, was aimed directly at the only other occupant of the room—Anakin.

Their father.

Obi-Wan needed a drink.

37. Do you ever write long handed or do you prefer to type everything?

I write long-handed when I’m having focus issues. It’s slow enough to make me focus.

38. How do you nail voice in your books?

I talk to myself. Out loud. Constantly.

39. Do you spend a lot of time analyzing and studying the work of authors you admire?

When I read, I’m known to stop and think “that was a perfectly crafted sentence!” or “How did they do that?”

40. Do you look up to any of your writer buddies?

all of them. They’re all awesome, though in different ways.

41. Are there any books you feel have shaped you as a writer?

Harry Potter. I’m not sure how, but I’m sure it has.

42. How many drafts do you usually write before you feel satisfied?

Depends on how fully formed the story was in my head before I started. Fanfic gets 2 - rough and beta. Original fic gets rough, first, second, etc

43. How do you deal with rejection?

Badly at first. Then it evolved into a desire to prove them wrong.

45. First or third person?

Third.

46. Past or present tense?

Past.

47. Single or dual/multi POV?

Depends on the needs of the plot.

48. Do you prefer to write skimpy drafts and flesh them out later, or write too much and cut it back?

the first is what I do. The second is what I’d like to do.

49. Favorite fictional world?

A Galaxy Far, Far away. (Then Middle Earth).

50. Do you share your rough drafts or do you wait until everything is all polished?

depends on the fic. I like to show things to @brydylcai, but only in the fandom’s she’s in. I have been known to invite friends into docs as I’m writing, so...

51. Are you a secretive writer or do you talk with your friends about your books?

I’m more open than I used to be about fanfic. I’m less talkative about my original works.

52. Who do you write for?

She knows who.

53. What is the first line of your WIP?

Of this chapter: “Brig was already aboard the boat when Gimli and Legolas arrived, attending the rigging for the simple sail and making ready to depart.”

54. Favorite first line/opening you’ve written?

my book begins with a ghost hunt. that’s fun?

55. How do you manage your time/make time for writing? (do you set aside time to write every day or do you only write when you have a lot of free time?)

I try to set aside time while not working, but i also tend to write in whatever little moments I have. Between classes, standing in line, etc.

#brydylcai #ask meme

3 notes · View notes

byjillianmaria · 7 years

Text

WIP Tag

I was tagged by @kira-desomma :) I don’t think I’ve done this one before. And if I have ...? Well, I’m always here to talk about my WIPs, lol. There’s three of them rn!

Songbird

Status: Writing the second draft

Inspiration: The song Dark Woods Circus (and a fanfic I wrote on said song).

Count: The fanfic topped out at around ~47k. The first draft was around ~52k. And the second draft is currently at ~25k, but my target is ~70k.

Genre: Thriller/Suspense. Has some horror elements. Young Adult.

Blurb: Elizabeth Brighton couldn't have known.

When she accepted the flier and an invitation to a mysterious show from the dazzling woman who offered it to her, she didn't know what it would be about or even how much it would cost. She certainly didn't know that it would wind up being a front for an immortal, sadistic witch known only as The Mistress with a penchant for kidnapping unsuspecting women. And she certainly couldn't know that she had been selected as the witch's next victim. Now locked in a birdcage, cursed to grow feathers that slowly suck the life out of her, and forced to sing for an unknowing audience every night, it looks like Elizabeth is helpless and hopeless, doomed to die before she ever gets a chance to turn 18.

But maybe things aren't so hopeless after all. There are things Elizabeth can't explain, things that the Mistress either doesn't know or doesn't care about. Things like the enigmatic words of the fortune teller. The kind but meek contortionist. Thoughts that seem to come from someone else. The strange dreams of another woman's life, of being in love with a beautiful woman named Alice. Will any of these things shed light on the Mistress's plot? And more importantly, will knowing make any difference?

Tag: project: songbird

Background: I probably never would have started on this project if it weren’t for a friend loving the fanfic version of it so fiercely, I thought that it might just be worth fleshing out into a novel.

Reversed Star

Status: Getting ready to publish in October

Inspiration: Saga was a big motivator for us in the early days! But we draw a little inspiration from everywhere. Some of the plot elements (specifically Evangeline’s kidnapping) were actually drawn from an old, unfinished Nano project of mine!

Count: Getting the word count for the scripts isn’t exactly easy ...

Genre: Scifi! And I guess you could classify the age range as New Adult?

Blurb: Everything in the galaxy begins somewhere.

For Evangeline and Icaruss, the story begins on their 21st birthday. That’s when Evangeline Dumont, heiress and only child of famed scientist Roman Dumont, is kidnapped. And that’s when Icaruss, a poor alien/human hybrid, starts having dreams from her point of view. Convinced that he’s the only one who can rescue her, he convinces his twin sister Thara to make him a spaceship. Accompanied by family friend Greta and Fitzy, his robot, he takes off on an epic adventure across the galaxy. But Evangeline, who has no idea he exists, isn’t waiting to be saved. Instead, she’s doing her best to learn more about the mysterious radicals who are holding her hostage, and how to best escape them.

This story follows both Evangeline and Icaruss as their stories bring them closer together. And closer to an intergalactic war that neither of them could have predicted …

(Yikes!! I need to update this blurb.)

Tag: It has a whole separate blog!! (Which you should follow. It posts rad art.)

Background: Kelli and I have been friends since we were 15, and talking about making a comic together for about that long. However, Reversed Star is the first one that looks like it has a chance of actually, well, happening. And a lot of that is because of the lovely people who show support and interest in it, so, thank you!! We started working on it shortly after graduating college, and it has been a great way for us to continue to stretch our creative muscles as we go into our respective careers.

The Fair Folk

Status: To be worked on seriously after

Inspiration: Tumblr posts about faeries. It also has a little True Blood in there (even though — full disclosure — I’ve only watched a couple episodes), with the whole “alternate-universe-where-people-know-vampires-exist” thing, except replace “vampires” with “faeries, merfolk, werewolves, ghosts, etc.” And vampires actually are extinct XD

Count: Uhh, just a couple thousand words and a metric fuckton of world building.

Genre: Fantasy! With some Adventure elements. It’s New Adult.

Blurb: Massachusetts isn’t exactly known for being welcoming to supernatural beings.

When a young woman in Wylant, Massachusetts named Rose Armont goes missing, however, the Supernatural Bureau of Investigations thinks that the case is in their jurisdiction — or, at least, that’s what resident Katrina Chase finds out from the faerie sent to investigate. And when she sees the mysterious creature that might have taken Rose, she becomes wrapped up in the investigation — and becomes closer to Oren, the faerie sent to work the case, and his world.

As the investigation grows to involve Oren’s sister Meri and Katrina’s werewolf roommate, Renee, it quickly becomes clear that the case is about far more than just Rose or even just Wylant. But how? Why are the girls involved? And what does the witch who lives on the outskirts of Wylant, the one that everyone but Katrina dismisses … What does she know?

Tag: project: the fair folk

Background: The Fair Folk is a super fun project because it has a lot of world-building involved. It also has a pretty neat cast of characters who actually get to go out and do something in lots of settings, which makes me look at it enviously from the mountain of pages of Songbird, where Elizabeth is confined to one area lol.

#tag game

1 note · View note

kuuderekun · 7 years

Text

My advice to Zack Snyder.

First off I want to offer my condolences on the loss of his daughter, Autumn earlier this year. Chances are because of that he won't be directing any new movies for awhile. But my advice is that if and when he does return to directing, he should take a break from Comic Book Movies and try doing some Anime. I feel like Snyder's style is better suited to adapting Anime into Live Action, he's clearly been influenced by Anime already. I did a post on wanting LA versions of Anime to be Colorful, and Snyder I feel would do that, the muted coloring in Man of Steel was the result of Nolan's influence, Watchman shows he is great at directing vibrantly colored films. He got attached to a adapting Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead at some point, who knows if it's actually still in active production. I think doing something with no SciFi or Fantasy aspect is not going to be Snyder's strong suit at all. Either way as a former Libertarian-Capitalist and current Libertarian-Communist the last thing I want is more exposure for Rand's so called Libertarianism. I have enjoyed every Snyder film I've seen except Dawn of The Dead. And all things considered I greatly appreciate what he's done in establishing the new DC Universe. But Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman better reflect where I want that universe to go moving forward. And Justice League will finish Snyder's vision effectively being the third film of his Superman Trilogy. Snyder's approach of being visually experimental while also having a dark tone isn't what audiences expect from Comic Book Movies. We're more used to Dark=Gritty and Realistic for those. Not every Anime would be ideal for Snyder, I feel like Nolan would be best for Noir, and Gundam by the same people handling Star Wars. And I'd overall prefer Women be entrusted with Magical Girl adaptations. However.... Madlax, Lupin III depending on which kind of Lupin Anime they're drawing on, Future Diary, Attack on Titan, Kabenari of the Iron Fortress, maybe Code Geass. Are examples of Anime where if a Western Live Action version is ever green-lite, I think perhaps Snyder might be the best guy for the job. I would also sorta add just about any Nasuverse story, including Canaan which may not actually count as Nasuverse.

1 note · View note

lvtvr · 7 years

Note

for that ask meme - i l o v e y o u

HEKC i love you too bonch imagine that!!!

also this got really long. fuck

I -- Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

hahahahhahahaha

As a Voltron blog, all I can say to this is: u bet. And you all know why. Moral policing on the internet is a foolish endeavor at best, pathetic at worst. Bye, asshats.

But then again, fandoms in general always suck if you end up on the wrong side of them. As the legend goes, there are no good fandoms, only good friends. And I have found plenty of those even via this clusterfuck of a fandom so :’’’)

L -- Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves.

I mean you can dismiss Zarkon as a one dimensional power hungry turtle man all u want but he does have his glowy purple aesthetic going for him

O -- Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

The song that came up on shuffle was Blinding by Florence + the Machine! It really reminds me of Allura waking up from cryosleep, only to realize everything’s fallen apart around her, and all she can do in the face of horror is decide to be strong. Oh shit I’m gettin emotional lads ;-;

V -- Which character do you relate to most?

My kneejerk reaction is to yell “LANCE!” but if I’m honest with myself that might have a lot more to do with projecting than anything else sdjglsdgsg... But, yeah, like ... he seems confident and funny and talks a big game, but is actually pretty squishy and scared of a lot of things on the inside. So. There’s that. I’d die for him

I also relate to Pidge a lot!! Pidge is honestly one of the best characters I’ve ever encountered??? A gender non-conforming tech whiz with her own character arc, sign me uppp. Also, you can pry nonbinary Pidge from my cold dead enby hands, because Pidge is very much a comfort character in regards to that Struggle™. So @ all assmasters trying to kill this hc: shut ur mouth and let people have different headcanons. You don’t see me shitting on yours.

E --Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

I DON’T KNOW. I DON’T THINK SO?? Unless having a really embarrassing crush on a still-nonexistent, evil, purple alien man who might be part cow counts??????

Y -- What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Batfam stuff (u know who u are), Star Wars, and The Adventure Zone. Those are the main ones I think!

U -- Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

sdgkjsdg why u tryna get me to write an essay??? also here’s me exposing myself as a huge weeb

Lavi from D.Gray-man: He’s been my husband for like 6 years now. I always love the seemingly happy-go-lucky characters who actually have a lot more depth to them. When I realized he and Lance have almost exactly the same personality, I called myself out so loud I nearly broke my own eardrums

Shinji from NGE: I was really blown away by Evangelion once I finally watched it, and I think it’s because Shinji’s emotions especially felt very real to me? His depression and self-loathing was really shown, not told, and that sounded super emo but yeah I treasure Shinji a lot

Cloud from FFVII: I’ve had a crush on Cloud for a really long time too aaaa and I guess it’s just that ... he really embodies the FF aesthetic that I love so much?? The perfect mix of fantasy and scifi, nostalgia and modernity? And he plays it so cool with his bigass sword and fancy motorcycle but is actually canonically a massive dork god ilhsm

congrats for making it to the end sldkjgsdgj

ask me stuff!

#ask meme #long post #like really fuckin long rip #THANK U GWON ILYSM #my angle #<333 #piningmarco

4 notes · View notes

re-vised · 7 years

Photo

#56: Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Reviewed as part of the 100 Movies 365 Days Challenge

After rescuing Han Solo from the palace of Jabba the Hutt, the rebels attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to make Vader return from the dark side of the Force.

So here we are at the end of the first of the trilogies, or as some people call it "the only trilogy that's been released because the force awakens hasn't had two sequels, and there sure haven't been any other movies in the main franchise at allllllllll". So, I feel like it's important to take a step back to talk about the series as a whole.

has always been one of those franchises (and trust me there are others) that I've felt somewhat of an obligation to see. I consider myself a nerd, and whilst I don't subscribe to "All nerds must watch ___", I don't mind following trends. There is something so alluring about watching something everyone else is, that may not seem that interesting, not because of mindless zombie-like conformity. Rather I like to think that in the (hopeful) meritocratic free market of the entertainment industry, stuff is iconic and universally adored because it's got some kind special sauce. You just have to drop your assumptions, press play and fall in love. The magic can only reach so far, though. All previous (and also this one, spoilers) don't clamber into 5-star territory because I just don't think epic fantasy (or if you'd rather "epic scifi") has never completely won me over. There's a certain element of the idea of a story of individual characters, motivations and relationships being about prophecies and such, elements far bigger than such individual aspects, that really break up my attachment to such a story.

As the third in the series, the movies have kind of taken the plot to what I'd consider the highest point in the trio. New Hope did the obligatory march the characters one by one to introduce them, which didn't make the film bad, but its always going to be a rougher start. Empire Strikes Back really got to dig into the characters, lore, relationships and the like. Return of the Jedi does nothing but elevate the ideas further and further. I was actually impressed by many aspects, perhaps most obviously the characterisation of Darth Vader. I mean let's lay it out, Vader is undeniably the most icon "Behold, I am the villain"-type characters ever (except for Dr Evil, but he's parody so he doesn't count). I mean he wears black and a mask, and the heavy breathing and the "Luke I am your father" (regardless of the fact that it isn't the quote). But whilst it wasn't exactly Luke and Anakin prancing through the Endor forest, there's a bit more morally grey, which is definitely something I liked in the script (yeah this is another reason I probably don't like the epics). This is not to say that the movie is not light-hearted swashbuckling fun. Cute Ewoks, gunfights near existential horror execution pits, Return of the Jedi has a lot in its arsenal.

But once again it didn't completely take over. as it stands is still not something I really gush over. I respect it, I understand its influence, but it unsurprisingly hasn't completely flipped my opinion of an entire genre of storytelling on its head. This is a great movie, and I'd reccommend to any scifi loving nerd like myself, I just haven't fallen completely under its charm.

VERDICT 4.5/5 Lightsabres

is fantastic, and this is the best of the trilogy. Its fun and light hearted, but has some real dramatic moments. But I am not falling to my knees on this one. For all the respect I have gained for this franchise, I can't claim that this is my jam. Sci-fi Epics aren't my thing, and whilst I'm much more enthusiastic to try other epics that have slipped me by (looking at you Lord of the Rings) and much better disposed to before watching, there is still a bit of a wall between me and the genre.

#star wars #return of the jedi #sci fi #film #4.5 stars

0 notes